The Post Where I Talk about Breastfeeding (Again)

I don't think I've mentioned here since my long hiatus a while ago that Cooper was still a nursling. Yes, I breastfed a 2 year old. I could give you links to research and quotes from experts that back this up, but I won't. We'll just leave it at it was what was best for our family. Ideally I had wanted him to self-wean, for him to decide himself when he was ready to let go of that. However, since I've been pregnant I've noticed a steady decline in my milk supply. To the point where a couple weeks ago I noticed I couldn't even express one tiny drop. I don't know if any of you moms have ever tried nursing when the milk has dried up, but it hurts. Alot. Coupled with the breast tenderness from pregnancy and I almost wanted to scream when he nursed. He has been down to about 2 nursings a day for a while now, in the morning as he wakes up and at night to go to sleep. Sometimes he has a 2 minute snack or 2 during the day if he gets hurt or something. Several times the past few weeks he has fallen asleep with out nursing or woken up and just wanted to get up without nursing. I knew he was headed for weaning, but since it hurt so bad, I knew for my sanity I needed to encourage him a little. So we had a talk about how Momma's boobas (that's what he calls them & nursing) had to stop making milk since he was a big boy now. I was careful not to mention this was because of his baby brother or sister, because I don't want to make him mad at the baby. Thursday night was the last time he nursed. He has handled it quite well! I didn't expect it to be this easy at all. The first day or so he asked for it and when I said there is no milk he whined a little, but there hasn't been any all out screaming like I expected. 2 mornings ago he woke up and said "Momma I need bo- I need a drink." He caught himself. I thought it was precious. It has taken him longer to fall asleep without nursing but he does fall asleep and that is comforting. I am confident since it has gone so smoothly he really was ready and I didn't force him into it. He just needed a little encouragement! When we discussed that fact that there was no milk we also discussed having a small party for him when he stopped getting booba and call it a "big boy party." He seems quite excited for it and it will probably be this weekend. I will post pictures sometime next week!

Making Educated Choices

In light of recent revisions in the AAP's recommendations for child restraints, I have been involved in and seen some debates over this issue. I think the research is clear on what is better, the longer the child can stay rear-facing, the better. If you watch the crash tests on YouTube, the evidence clearly favors this stance. Some believe this is "impractical." Personally, I don't care how impractical it is if it keeps my baby safer. Another choice I believe in getting educated in is birth, specifically having labor induced. There are certainly reasons to be induced, but having a big baby is NOT one of them. Those estimates can be off by a lot, and for most, the risks outweigh the benefits. I know by 37/38 weeks you are tired of being pregnant and just want the baby out. Trust me I've been there. My doctor suggested inducing and I was all for it. I wanted him out, and I trusted my doctor. I shouldn't have. The pitocin made my contractions almost unbearable. They were very close together, with no breaks between them. Then she broke my water and shortly after Cooper's cord prolapsed and we were racing to save his life. Maybe if I had known that 40% of inductions end in c-sections I would have waited for him to come in his own time and I might not have been sliced open. Yes, the c-section saved him, and I am thankful for that. But one intervention leads to another and, in my case, ended in major surgery. Not to mention, if your cervix isn't ready no amount of pitocin-induced contractions is going to get it fully dilated, and they will wheel you off to surgery. I'm not saying inductions aren't useful, but I think its worth it to do a little bit of research and make an informed decision.

So the News is Out

We've made the big announcement. I'm pregnant! 6 weeks pregnant in fact. I've known for a couple weeks and went to the doctor for a blood test Thursday before last on the 10th. However, my doctor said my hCG was low because I was so early and she wanted me to retest in a week. So I went back the next Thursday, the 17th. I was scared, but I waited the week and went back. I knew the hCG should double every 2-3 days so as long as it had double twice in that 7 days I was comfortable making the announcement. It was 94 on the 10th. When I got back my levels from the 17th my hCG was almost 3000!! It doubled almost 5 times in 7 day!! So now everyone has it in my head that its twins. I'm trying not to freak out, because I don;t go back to the doctor for an ultrasound to see until the middle of March. That's a long time to freak out :)
As you probably know, hCG is not the only pregnancy hormone. Among the others is progesterone. Mine is a little on the low side so I'm having to take a supplement. But I know several people that have had to supplement and have had healthy pregnancies so I'm not too worried about it. Its not ideal, of course, but as long as I get a healthy baby in the end, that's fine.
I also have some other news that isn't as great. I had to drop my nursing class. I just can't do clinicals when I'm puking my guts out. So I dropped it. I hope to pick it up next spring and finish in 2013. I have a back up plan in the mean time that I will blog about later!
Big brother Cooper is very excited! He insists that he is having a little sister and too tell you the truth I hope he's right! Of course, I had be happy with either a boy or a girl, but it would be nice to have one of each!

Cooper has a Secret...

Cooper isn't great at keeping secrets, kinda like his mommy...

Can you guess what his secret is??

Don't worry; I won't make you wait...

That's right! Cooper is going to be a big brother! I'm pregnant with Baby #2!!!